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Brand

Brand identity means much more than a logo. A brand is the sum of who we are and all that we do — from delivering research-based solutions and a stellar customer experience to serving as a trusted partner and enhancing the quality of life for North Carolinians.

EVERYONE WHO’S PART OF EXTENSION PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN BUILDING OUR BRAND IDENTITY AND INTEGRITY.

Campus and County Branding Guidelines

North Carolina is the home of two land-grant institutions, NC State University and N.C. A&T State University. Each school operates individual Extension units — NC State Extension and The Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T — that offer programming both independently and as a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

When planning our marketing efforts, we must be mindful of each university’s distinctive brand identity; how and when they co-exist as N.C. Cooperative Extension; and when to use one brand identity or another.

It’s more straightforward than it might sound, and we’ve developed a branding strategy and guidelines to help employees consistently brand appropriately:

This includes programs that are funded, coordinated and developed unilaterally, regardless of how or where the end products are used.

County-based initiatives, events, programs, and faculty and staff always represent the partnership — along with other programs that are jointly funded, coordinated and developed — not just among NC State and N.C. A&T, but with local governments statewide.

As such, the N.C. Cooperative Extension co-brand is the primary identity for our 101 local centers.

Watch the Extension Rebrand Launch Webinar

Transition Overview

The full implementation of Extension’s brand updates – for both the campus (NC State Extension) and county partnership (N.C. Cooperative Extension) brands – is expected to take place over the course of 24 months.

While the majority of the transition will take place in the first year, we recognize that some updates (acquiring new permanent signage at a county center, for example) may require more time and flexibility.

If consistency is the vehicle that helps drive our brand to success, then authenticity is the road upon which we travel.

As such, we’ll continue to build the brand from the inside out, focusing the initial release phases on internal communications through the summer and fall of 2017.

During this time we will equip employees with the information and tools you need to establish our collective brand identity. The process will be organic, involving adjustments in course as needed to help keep everyone on track.

We will also spend the lion’s share of the first six months identifying opportunities for dialogue; addressing your questions and concerns; and developing communication trainings that are tailored to your needs.

The 90-day period (May 1 through July 31, 2017) to deplete existing inventory with the outdated branding has expired. Employees should now be using the updated branding on all materials and resources.

Around the winter of 2017, we will plan for our first concerted external communications campaign to grow awareness, engagement and value for our Extension brand identities among key audiences. We will share more information and resources to help everyone support these efforts in advance.

As with any major organizational progress, we recognize that it will take time to make a full transition. From business cards, name badges and signs, to websites, program materials and communicating about Extension in everyday settings, it’s a change in organizational culture, and it doesn’t happen overnight.

That said, we are here to help however we can. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns!

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University are collectively committed to positive action to secure equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, political beliefs, family and marital status, sex, age, veteran status, sexual identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, or disability.